Rolling Happy

Take a gander at this musical number from It's Always Fair Weather (1955) directed by Stanley Donan and Gene Kelly; the same directing team that brought the world Singing in the Rain. THE FUTURIST! was going through some musical film sequences on YouTube and found this one ... it's amazing. THE FUTURIST! has not seen this particular film, but he had seen this solo dance number in a Gene Kelly documentary. Kelly dances effortlessly in roller skates in this scene. He glides like a carefree breeze, wafting purely on a feeling of love. Then he tap dances on the skates. It is all done magnificently on a fake studio set giving the illusion of New York City streets. The illusion is evident, but so is the magic that classic musicals from the Studio Era conjured. Emotions depicted through song and dance, instead of dialogue between characters. Excuse the French subtitles and just watch the poetry. If THE FUTURIST! attempted this in Utter Despair, N.J., it would result in stares, scoffing and, most likely, a denouement resulting in THE FUTURIST! uncontrollably rolling into rush hour traffic.